Melanie Ausmus was struck ill and hospitalized with COVID-19. The entire world is experiencing the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Yet many of us do not know anyone who has been sick from the virus. Melanie openly talks about what it felt like to be ill and admitted to the hospital on two separate occasions. Her story will help assuage the overriding fear in our community and teach us that kindness is one of the essential qualities to practice through this pandemic.

Chris Madison lost his foot in a boating accident when he was only ten years old. At that time, he gave up his dream to be a fighter pilot but continued to set goals that have since shaped his life. Chris is an attorney for the state of Arkansas. Before getting his law degree, he served as a police officer for seven years. He has participated in numerous endurance events, including the Boston Marathon. Chris recently fulfilled his life-long goal by getting his pilot's license.

Katie is the granddaughter of Paul Leimkuehler, a World War II Veteran who invented the outriggers used by adaptive skiers throughout the world. Paul was a ski legend, orthotics and prosthetics leader, and war hero. Katie is the Executive Director of a documentary film called Fresh Tracks that brings her grandfather's legacy to the forefront as a pioneer in adaptive sports and the Father of 3-Track Skiing.
www.freshtracksfilm.com

Greg Mannino is one of the top one-legged ski racers of our time. He lost his leg at age seventeen and found skiing to be an ideal outlet for going fast and being competitive. He raced in 5 Paralympic Events and 3 World Championships for the disabled. He's won numerous medals over the years. Greg now skis on two skis, using a specialized prosthetic leg. He is paying it forward by teaching and coaching, focusing on disabled veterans.

Bob Meserve was a member of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team from 1989 - 1993, skiing in a monoski. In 1992, he began to serve as the Winter Athlete Representative of the National Board of Directors for Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA). Since then, he has served on numerous boards and worked behind the scenes to provide funding and promote disabled sports and the Paralympics. In 2009, Bob was inducted into the National Disabled Snow Sports Hall of Fame for his work to grow the respected movement that the Paralympics and disabled sports have become today.

A Leg Up On Life welcomes back Prateek Dujari, who was our guest in Episode #21. During the interview, he shared about his upcoming 10-day bike expedition in the Himalayan Mountains in India. In this interview, you'll hear all about his journey back to India and the adventure of a lifetime. Prateek talks about the challenge of riding a tandem bicycle over some of the highest passes in the world.

"My wheelchair will only take me so far, but that's not as far as I can go!" At age 12, Christina Chambers became a paraplegic when her immune system attacked her spinal cord. A manual wheelchair became part of her identity, and she has used it to touch the lives of hundreds of adaptive athletes across the county.
In this episode of "A Leg Up On Life," you'll recognize the incredible spirit that has pushed Christina to accomplish feats that most of us wouldn't even consider.
https://ability360.org/sports/

John Furniss, also known as the Blind Woodsman, is a blind woodworker. His wife, Anni, is a painter. The two artists form a partnership that is the stuff movies are made of. John lost his sight when he was 16. After many struggles, he took on the challenge of living life as a blind man. He learned to work on pianos, learned to turn wood to create beautiful pieces of art, and he met the love of his life, Anni. This episode of A Leg Up On Life is the remarkable story of finding one's purpose after tragedy.furnissstudios.com

On an icy and snowy February night, Elisa Hays got hit by a semi-truck as she and her coworkers attempted to run for safety after their pickup and trailer slid on black ice. In this episode of "A Leg Up On Life," Elisa shares her compelling story of resilience in the face of a horrific accident and how it drove her to become an expert at leadership.

Leave your disability at the dock, is the motto of Footloose Sailing Association. In this interview, you will meet Bob Ewing, one of the founders of the sailing club specifically for individuals with disabilities. Bob is a quadriplegic and has dedicated his time and efforts to help others find the freedom and enjoy the sport as much as he does.